


Half-Bloomed & Semisweet

by burymeonpluto



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Chocolate, Culture Shock, Different Valentine's Day Customs, Disney Dads, Feelings Realization, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29406777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burymeonpluto/pseuds/burymeonpluto
Summary: 'What if Sora visits San Fransokyo and learns about a more Japanese-style Valentine's Day, where it can be platonic or romantic; but then Riku goes to New Orleans and only knows the very romantic Western version?'Sora doesn't think twice about giving Riku a giant chocolate heart, so why is he acting so weird about it?
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	Half-Bloomed & Semisweet

  
  
Sora wipes the sweat from his forehead, forgetting that his arms are still coated in a thin layer of confectioners’ sugar. He’s pretty sure there’s a smear of chocolate on his cheek from his earlier exploding fiasco, too. Oh, well. He always ends up covered in _something_ whenever he comes to Little Chef’s kitchen.  
  
“You’re really putting your all into this,” Donald remarks from across the room. “Just look at the size of that chocolate!”  
  
“Hiro said you’re supposed to give Valentine’s chocolate to the ones you’re closest to. Someone you really care about and feel indebted to. The bigger the chocolate, the bigger the statement!” Little Chef tugs to his right, and Sora’s hands squeeze more icing onto the shiny surface of the chocolate heart. This takes more concentration than he thought! He can barely keep his hand steady enough for a straight line, never mind a clean spiral. Little Chef seems satisfied with his work, though, and Sora pumps a fist. “Got it! Now what?” He guides Sora to the next piping bag. This one is filled with bright pink frosting. Perfect for more decoration.  
  
Goofy leans over towards Donald, cupping his hand around his mouth even though he isn’t whispering: “Gee, I wonder who Sora’s makin’ such a big chocolate for?”  
  
“I think I know,” Donald snickers.  
  
“I can _hear_ you, ya know!” Sora pouts, but he can’t stop mid-frosting just to glare at them.  
  
Donald continues as if he didn’t hear: “It must be for Riku!”  
  
Goofy chuckles. “That’s what I was thinkin’ too!”  
  
Sora feels his face heat up in concentration. Hopefully the shape he’s making out of frosting will resemble a flower at some point. “Who else would it be for?”  
  
“Yeah, he’s saved your skin lotsa times!” Donald teases.  
  
“Not _lots…_ ”  
  
“Well, I think it’s kinda nice!” Goofy offers, and nudges Donald a bit. “Why don’t you try makin’ some chocolate for Daisy, eh, Donald?”  
  
“Daisy!?” He blushes red through his feathers. Serves him right. “I’ll, uh… I’ll think about it!” he huffs.  
  
Sora leans up and inspects his work. The pink blob of icing is a little off-center, but it does look a like a flower, so he’ll count it as a win. He holds up his finger for a Little Chef-sized high-five. “Alright! It’s done!”  
  
Now he just has to track down Riku before the day’s over. Thank goodness for Gummiphones.  
  
  


♥♥♥

Sora is awfully fidgety today. Riku finds him swaying in the open hall of Disney Castle, waiting with his hands behind his back and a knowing grin on his lips. Donald and Goofy aren’t with him, either. Riku knows something is up before he even opens his mouth.  
  
“Hey, Riku!” he calls.  
  
“You look like you’re scheming something,” Riku says with a smile of his own. Sora only laughs. “What’s up?”  
  
“So, I was visiting my friends in San Fransokyo, and they told me about a holiday in their world called Valentine’s Day. Have you ever heard of it?”  
  
A nervous queasiness plummets through Riku’s stomach. “Yeah… I’ve heard of it.” He was just in New Orleans last week, and there were decorations everywhere. Streets were littered with red hearts and pink streamers and storefronts packed full of roses and fancy chocolates. Stuffed bears, rabbits—and something soft and colorful with an uncanny resemblance to a Meow Wow—holding trinkets emblazoned with _I_ _L_ _ove_ _Y_ _ou_ and _Be Mine_. According to Tiana, it’s a holiday where lovers give gifts to one another, and celebrate their connection. Why would Sora be bringing this up? What use could he possibly have for a holiday like that? He doesn’t have a lover—or does he? Riku searches Sora’s eyes for some kind of hint, but he comes up empty. He painfully swallows the buildup in his mouth. “What about it?”  
  
Sora’s smile is so wide. “Well, today is Valentine’s Day, so…” He reveals what’s behind his back: a gargantuan chocolate heart, bigger than Riku’s entire hand. It’s topped with nuts and colorful icing arranged in meticulous spirals and blooms. It looks handmade. Sora passes it directly to Riku and his eyes are sparkling. “It’s for you!”  
  
Riku’s mouth drops open. “Huh?” Did he hear that right? _Sora_ just handed him a big, beautiful piece of _Valentine’s Chocolate_?  
  
“I wanted to make an even bigger one, but uh,” he nervously rubs his cheek, “the prototype didn’t turn out so well.”  
  
Riku still doesn’t know what to say. His mouth has gone dry. He just keeps staring at the huge chocolate heart in his hands. It’s decorated with little pieces of hazelnut—his favorite—and three different colors of frosting. Yellow, blue, and pink… It’s too good to be real. This is for _him_? From _Sora_? There’s no way. Sora would never—  
  
“You’d better appreciate it!” Sora huffs in that playful way, where his cheeks puff out like a child’s. His pouted lips—rosy and full—can barely suppress his smile long enough to pull it off. “I worked really hard to make it!”  
  
A joking demand, for sure. That’s right. Riku takes a measured breath. Calm down. It’s just a joke. When Riku first heard about Valentine’s Day, with exchanging flowers and chocolates and the celebration of _connections_ , he instantly thought about the legend of the paopu fruit. Valentine’s gifts are about the connection of two hearts—about love, specifically. Not exactly like their local customs, but a little more personal. More emotional.  
  
But Sora wouldn’t think that far into it. He’d notice the similarities to paopu fruit and put on a mischievous grin and cook up a plan to pay Riku back for all the teasing he’s endured over the years.  
  
Yeah. That’s gotta be it. Riku’s fingers tighten over the crinkling wrapper. He shuts the door to the part of his heart that’s still begging for it to be real. That entire side of him should just shut down. He forces a laugh from his chest and waves the chocolate around like it’s nothing. “Real funny, Sora.”  
  
Sora’s face falls. “Huh?” That playful shimmer in his eye vanishes.  
  
But Riku can’t look directly at him anymore. It feels like his chest is caving in. How pathetic for something so simple to hurt so badly, and after all the times he’s teased Sora in the same vein. “I guess you’ve outgrown paopu fruit, huh? At least this one should taste better.” Sora says nothing. Sounds like Riku saw right through his scheme. “Sorry, but you’ll have to try a little harder than that. I’m not as easy to shake up as you.”  
  
“Riku?”  
  
He really didn’t have to throw it back in Sora’s face like that, but he’s untethered from his body. Is it really Riku speaking, or just his nerves? He needs to take a step back—maybe breathe; maybe _think_. “But thanks for the chocolate.” He gestures loosely with the gift, and starts retreating down the corridor. “I have to get going. I’ll see you later.”  
  
“You’re welcome…” Sora stammers.

♥♥♥

  
  
Sora collapses into the cockpit of the Gummiship with a sigh. He has the strongest urge to return to Destiny Islands, dig a hole in the sand, lay down inside of it, and never come out. He’s just confused… but why does it feel so _bad_?  
  
Goofy eventually creeps up next to him. “Gawrsh, Sora. I’ve never seen ya quite so blue before. Could ya not give Riku his present?”  
  
“Huh? Oh…” He has to shake this off. No sad faces on the ship! “No, I gave it to him.”  
  
“Then why so glum? Don’t tell me he didn’t like it!”  
  
“I… I don’t know,” Sora admits.  
  
Donald squawks furiously from across the cabin: “What!?”  
  
“It was weird,” Sora mumbles. He doesn’t understand it at all. “He laughed at it.”  
  
Goofy hums thoughtfully. “Now that doesn’t sound like Riku.”  
  
Sora shakes his head. It sounds like Riku at his worst. He rakes his fingers through his hair like he could pull it out. “Argh! I don’t get it!”  
  
“Maybe he was just in a bad mood,” Donald offers.  
  
Not until Sora gave him the chocolate, but it doesn’t make any sense.  
  
“Or maybe he was embarrassed!” Goofy adds.  
  
“Or sick!”  
  
“Or allergic!”  
  
Sora cranes his head back and sighs to the ceiling “Or maybe he just didn’t want anything from me.” Maybe a Valentine’s Day gift was too much. Maybe Sora’s done something wrong without realizing.  
  
Donald and Goofy are silent for three solid seconds, before loudly and vehemently disagreeing.  
  
“Nope, that can’t be it.”  
  
“No way!”  
  
Sora can’t help but smile. They’ve got a lot of faith.  
  
Goofy scratches his head. “There’s gotta be something bothering him. Riku wouldn’t hurt Sora’s feelings on purpose.”  
  
What? Sora leans up: “Hey—my feelings aren’t hurt!”  
  
“Uh-huh,” Donald rolls his eyes. “Sure they’re not.”  
  
“Donald!”  
  
Goofy chuckles into his hand. “Say, fellas, why don’t we just try askin’ Riku if he liked the present? That’s sure to clear things up!”  
  
Sora feels his face flush with embarrassment. After getting dismissed and ridiculed like that… there’s no way he could. No, it’s clear that Riku didn’t want Sora’s Valentine’s chocolate, and Sora’s nothing but a fool for thinking he’d appreciate it. Let’s just leave it at that. “That’s okay. He said he had to go talk to the King.”  
  
“So?” Donald pushes.  
  
“ _So_ , I don’t want to bother him!”  
  
“You’ve got that Gummiphone, don’t you?”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“That’s right!” Goofy points. “There’s nothin’ wrong with askin’ him when he’s finished!”   
  
Sora pulls the device from his pocket. All he sees is his own dour expression in the empty screen. He knows that’s not all there is to it, because it doesn’t make any sense. Riku was acting so strangely over some chocolate, but Sora still doesn’t understand _why_. He can’t shake the feeling that he’s done something wrong.  
  
Then the phone rings, and Sora almost leaps out of his skin.

♥♥♥

  
  
“Is something the matter, Riku?” Mickey asks.  
  
“It’s nothing,” he says, despite the fact that his eyes haven’t left the decorated chocolate heart in the last fifteen minutes.  
  
“Ya seem a little down, is all.”  
  
Once he met up with Mickey, he placed the heart on the table and sat down; unable to think of anything except the fallen look on Sora’s face, or the wobbly timbre of his voice as Riku all but ran away from him. “I’m alright.”  
  
Mickey hums like he doesn’t believe it. He stands there watching Riku while tapping his foot. “Ya know, most people are happy to get Valentine’s Day chocolate from their special someone.”  
  
Riku jumps out of his chair. “Huh?!”  
  
“Is it from Sora?”  
  
“It…” then he sighs. He can’t hide a thing from Mickey either, huh? “Yeah…”  
  
“Then why the long face?”  
  
He’s at a loss. The chocolate is still taunting him from the table. Pretty and fragrant. “I can’t tell if it was a joke or not.”  
  
“Why would it be a joke?”  
  
“Why else would Sora give _me_ Valentine’s chocolate?”  
  
Mickey clearly stumbles over that question—wondering _how_ Riku could be so clueless, probably. “Because you’re his favorite person, a’course! That’s what Valentine’s Day is for!”  
  
That’s not the answer he was expecting. “There’s no way,” he mumbles. “Sora’s not… He doesn’t…” Riku pulls his hand down his face. He remembers the lively streets of New Orleans; cakes and bouquets ornamented with declarations of love. “It wouldn’t be me.”  
  
“Hmm, I think you’re overthinking it.”  
  
“But—”  
  
“Sora gave you the chocolate knowing it was Valentine’s Day. He wouldn’t be so cruel to do that as a joke.”  
  
It is cruel, but that’s exactly why it doesn’t make sense. Sora _wouldn’t_ do that. He wouldn’t get Riku all worked up just to crush those feelings and laugh in his face. That’s the sort of thing Riku would do years ago, the headstrong and bratty kid that he was. Even if it was payback, Sora would never step that far. It’s not in his nature.  
  
So, then… the pained look on Sora’s face today was real, and all Riku’s fault. His gloves creak from his tightening fists. “You’re right… he wouldn’t. So I just laughed at him for earnestly giving me this chocolate.”  
  
Mickey covers his gasp with both hands. “Oh, no!”  
  
He still can’t believe it. Such a warm and direct profession from someone like Sora… Sora shined like the sun, and cast his light and his smile and his goodness upon everyone around him. He didn’t hold anyone closer than arm’s length, despite the countless hands that would love to grab him and command his attention. Those who wish for that sunbeam to fall on only them, and they can adore him from up close without worrying that he’ll soon drift away somewhere else.  
  
If Riku ever had a chance to catch him by the sleeve, why shouldn’t he take it? Anxiety gnaws away at his insides: _He didn’t mean it_. _Don’t embarrass yourself_. _Don’t think for a second that you deserve his affection_.  
  
He should at least apologize. If Sora meant anything by the chocolate, no matter how small, if it’s a grain of affection or an avalanche of love, Riku didn’t have to belittle those feelings. He didn’t have to get so defensive.  
  
“You should call and straighten this out!” Mickey is still worrying over it, too. “I couldn’t bear to see you two so down on Valentine’s Day.”  
  
His guilt would rather have him run away and hide, but Riku knows that’s not an option. Even if he did run, Sora would inevitably find him. The only thing Riku can do is swallow his shame and explain everything. Well, maybe not _everything_. He fishes the Gummiphone from his pocket and dials Sora.  
  
It barely rings once. “Riku!?” Sora’s voice comes through before his face has the chance to appear on-screen. Once it does, Riku notices Sora’s nervous smile, not to mention the death glare that Donald is sending his way.  
  
Yeah. He deserves that. “Hey, Sora. About earlier… Uh, are you still in the hangar?”  
  
“Yep! We haven’t left yet.”  
  
Perfect. “Could you meet me in the courtyard?”  
  
“You got it!”

♥♥♥

  
  
The sun is already setting. The colorful gardens have been doused in shadows and reddish sunlight. Bugs and birds chirp loudly over the whispering leaves and flowers and fountains of bubbling water. Sora’s always been passing through; he’s never stopped to appreciate how pretty the Disney Castle Gardens really are. Did Riku already know? Is that why he asked Sora to meet him here?  
  
They follow the path a ways, passing by areas Sora’s never seen before. Riku walks just a step ahead, worryingly silent, but toting the large chocolate heart. He’s not holding it as recklessly as before. That feels like a good sign. A warm breeze passes through the garden and it carries the smell of roses.  
  
Riku pauses along the path, beside a thicket of red and yellow flowers, and tugs on the plastic that surrounds the chocolate. “You worked really hard on this, huh?”  
  
Sora shrugs. His heart is in his throat. “I told you I did.”  
  
“It looks good.”  
  
“Thanks,” he grins. That’s better.  
  
“I’m sorry about what happened earlier. I wasn’t laughing at you. I just thought… it had to be a joke.”  
  
Sora scratches his cheek. He still doesn’t really understand.  
  
Riku holds the chocolate heart with both hands, and breaks it in two with a quiet snap. He presents a piece to Sora, not looking at him at all. “Will you accept this from me?”  
  
Sora smirks. What kind of question is that? “You know I will.” He gladly takes the piece of chocolate.  
  
Riku still won’t look at him, instead staring out into the trees. The orange light is soft against his skin. Sora could spend ages watching the sunset dance through his hair.  
  
But the chocolate is starting to melt in his hands, so he shoves the entire thing into his mouth. It’s smooth and a little bittersweet. It’s pretty good, if he says so himself. “You’re so weird, Riku. Why would you think I’d give you chocolate as a joke? What kind of joke would that be?”  
  
Riku takes smaller bites of chocolate. He must’ve been waiting for Sora to try it first. “I didn’t think you’d ever give it to _me_. Valentine’s chocolate is supposed to be reserved for someone special.”  
  
That’s pretty lofty. Sora props a hand on his hip. “You telling me you’re not special?”  
  
He takes his last bite of chocolate and sends Sora a sidelong glance. Their eyes meet for a noticeable amount of time. “Not as special as you.” His smile is so gentle in the dwindling sunlight. Sora’s heart pounds against his chest like it wants to leap out. Riku reaches over, and his thumb—warm and calloused from years of swordplay—delicately brushes Sora’s cheek. It comes back sporting a glob of bright pink frosting. “You got some on your face.”  
  
Sora has never felt so lightheaded. Not even when he’s flying the Gummiship at a million miles an hour, making turns so sharp and steep that he can’t raise up in his seat. Not when he was thirteen and got that awful head cold, and he could barely breathe or walk to the kitchen without falling down. No, it tops all of that.  
  
Exhilarating. Unreal. What is this feeling?  
  
“You okay?” Riku asks. His perfect smile is gone. “Your face is all red.”  
  
Sora cups both cheeks in his hands. He’s one step short of steam pouring out of his ears. “Is it?”  
  
“Oh yeah,” he chuckles, but it’s subdued. It’s not Riku’s usual teasing laugh. It’s too uneasy. Too worried. About Sora?  
  
Sora has no idea what’s wrong. Riku can see it too. His head is swimming—heart beating so fast. He carefully sits on the ground with his face still buried in his hands.  
  
Riku scrambles closer. “Sora!?”  
  
“I’m fine,” he lies.  
  
“You don’t look fine.” His hand curls over Sora’s shoulder in a reassuring grip. Sora takes a moment to remember how to breathe. “Look,” he mumbles. “I’m sorry… I should’ve believed you about the chocolate. There’s no way you’d joke about something like that…”  
  
Sora peers through his fingers. Riku is smiling bitterly at the ground. “Huh?”  
  
“I used to tease you about the paopu fruit all the time, so… I guess I thought it was payback.”  
  
The chocolates are like paopu fruit? Is that right? Well, Riku did just break the candy in half and share it with him… Sora shared the chocolate with Riku. He stops breathing again. That feels important, somehow.  
  
“But it bothered me, because I really wanted it to be real. Valentine’s chocolate is for your most important person. I didn’t think you’d ever think of me… like that.”  
  
Like what? Sora doesn’t understand. Of course Riku is his most important person. Who else would it be? Sora was so certain that he made a chocolate heart the size of his head. And now he can’t catch his breath. His heart is racing and his face is burning and he’s sure he’s about to drop off a cliff because there’s no going back.  
  
Riku’s grip tightens again. “Hey… look at me.”  
  
He can’t. His stomach flips like he’s falling.  
  
Riku carefully pries Sora’s hands away from his face. That gentle smile is back.  
  
Sora chews on his lip and briefly wonders if Riku’s would be just as soft. “Huh!?” he gasps. Where did that-? _Why_ did he just-?  
  
“You sure you’re okay?”  
  
He pulls in a shuddering breath. “I don’t know.” Riku is still holding on to his hands, longer and closer than he ever has before. They would sit close when they were still kids. They would lean and touch and push each other without a care in the world, but at some unspoken point, they couldn’t do that anymore. Fingers would only brush. Touches were fleeting and silent. Ships passing in the night and only causing the faintest ripple. Sora had no idea how much he missed it. When he could just reach over and grab Riku’s hand without needing a reason. When they could sit huddled together beneath the blankets on Sora’s bed, telling scary stories and reading comics with nothing but a flashlight. Before they started shoving each other away. Sora looks at their hands, still tightly curled around one another. Why did they stop? Sora never really wanted to.  
  
“Sora… can I… kiss you?”  
  
“Huh?” _Huh!?_ Sora freezes, and the world goes quiet. Suddenly, there are no fountains. No breeze. No birds. Not even his own thundering heartbeat. There’s only silence and Riku’s crushing grip on his hands. Riku is staring down at their threaded fingers like he’s ashamed, cheeks blazing red and his jaw clenched tight, and Sora understands. The bigger the chocolate, the bigger the statement. The heaviness of it all. The paopu fruit. The Valentine’s chocolate is a declaration of _love_.  
  
_Love._ The greatest strength of all. He’s seen it so many times. It exists in every world. He’s _seen it_. Heroes, and Princes, and Queens. The strength to protect what matters. His most important person. Riku split the chocolate with him and stood by his side and pulled him out of so many messes.   
  
He understands. He knows. It’s been right here the whole time.  
  
It’s been a declaration of love this entire time!  
  
Sora’s forgotten how to breathe again. He gasps for air and it sounds like he’s laughing. He didn’t think Riku’s grip could get any tighter. “Mhm.”  
  
Riku jerks and meets his gaze with huge, beautiful eyes. Yes, that’s what it is. He’s beautiful, and Sora’s always known that. He nervously wets his lips. Riku? Nervous? Sora almost bursts out laughing again. Riku inches forward, hesitates, argues with himself, tries again, and stops halfway. He frees one of his hands and reaches for Sora’s face. His chin—no, his cheek. Sora can’t move. Riku is so lost in his head that he’s only sitting there holding Sora’s face in his hand and not breathing at all. “Are you sure?”  
  
“Riku,” he snickers. “I’m sure.”  
  
He swallows hard and leans forward, clumsily pressing his lips against the corner of Sora’s mouth. They’re even softer than Sora imagined. His throat closes over another laugh. He feels his heart burning and singing like it never has before. “Are you _laughing_?” Riku asks.  
  
Sora grins and he still can’t breathe. “Looks like we’ve finally found something you’re not amazing at.”  
  
“Wha-?” he stammers, cheeks burning red again. “You think you’re any better?”  
  
“I’d at least try not to miss!”  
  
“Oh yeah?” This time he uses both hands to pull Sora in, and his aim is true. Sora has to brace himself on Riku’s shoulders to keep from crashing into him. He’s solid and warm. “Was that precise enough for you?”  
  
He hums, but it’s bubbling over with laughter. He can’t stop _laughing_. “Still needs a little work. We’ll have to keep trying.”  
  
Finally, Riku leans back and matches his laugh. Sora hasn’t heard him burst like that in a long time. “You’re awfully hard to please.”  
  
“Nah.” Sora finds his hands again and holds them tight. He missed this. He _wants_ this. “I’m just teasing you.”   
  
They sit in the shadows of the garden, giggling and hearts racing, and Sora wants to shout from the rooftops. This is love. It’s smooth and bittersweet and dotted with frosting. It’s been love all along.  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This fic helped me remember how much I love writing Donald and Goofy... and how LOUD soriku is oh my god. They're so embarrassing.
> 
> Please note: This does not 100% adhere to Japan's various Valentine's Day customs. San Fransokyo is a fictional place and I took a lot of liberties.
> 
> -[pluto](https://twitter.com/VaniVeniVici)


End file.
